The best copy editors for hire in the United States

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Lisa 5 star rating

Nashville, United States

I'm a twenty-year veteran in Christian publishing, specializing in gift/coffee table books, devotionals, and trade books.

Genres: Christian Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Thomas Nelson Publishers (Harper Collins)

Alicia 5 star rating

Boston, United States

Editor with 10+ years' experience in content development, copy editing, and proofreading. Avid learner & lover of the written word.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Career Guides, Non-Fiction, Technology, Anthologies, Classics, Writing & Publishing, Education & Reference, and Business & Management.

Work experience:

  • Macmillan Learning
  • Bedford/St. Martin's
  • Brown University
  • Grey Line Entertainment
  • O'Reilly Media

Mary Beth 5 star rating

Orlando, United States

Sensitive, seasoned copy editor dedicated to strengthening each author's particular voice

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Self-employed

Brittany 5 star rating

Rye, United States

Experienced cookbook editor and proofreader with a background in nonfiction publishing.

Genres: Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Nature, and Education & Reference.

Work experience:

  • Cider Mill Press Book Publishers
  • Book Passage Bookstore
  • Saint Mary's College of California
  • MARY: A Journal of New Writing
  • The Music Hall

Meticulous copy and developmental editor of nonfiction, equipped with diverse industry experience and a masters in Publishing.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, and Sociology.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Georgette 5 star rating

Carmel, IN, United States

I'm a freelance editor and proofreader who's committed to helping authors produce the best work possible for their audiences.

Genres: Self-Help & Self-Improvement, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Picture Books, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Scholastic Reading Counts!

Julia 5 star rating

Charleston, SC, United States

Line and copy editor, with content capabilities. I have the most experience in nonfiction, but my favorite edits are middle grade and YA.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, and Children's.

Work experience:

  • The History Press
  • Newgen KnowledgeWorks
  • Amnet

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Angela 5 star rating

Los Angeles, United States

Editor of more than 1,000 books. I specialize in sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, horror, mystery, thriller, YA, and dystopian fiction.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, LGBTQ Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, and Science Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Alyson Books
  • Self-employed
  • New York Book Editors

Erin L. 5 star rating

Seattle, Washington, United States

24+ awards in writing and editing • 30+ books edited • Specialties include nonfiction and poetry • Ph.D. student, lit and creative writing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Short Story, Poetry, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Business & Management, History, Nature, and Children’s Non-Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Cavendish Square, Wiley, & other publishers
  • Open Books: A Poem Emporium
  • Killer Visual Strategies
  • Various magazines
  • The Kentucky Standard
  • Sarabande Books
  • Entre Ríos Books

Erik 5 star rating

Minneapolis, MN, United States

Editor with years of in-house experience. Founder of a literary agency. Writer. Host of Print Run Podcast.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Career Guides, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Nature, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Children's, Sports & Outdoors, Life Sciences, and Math & Science.

Work experience:

  • Red Sofa Literary Agency
  • Self-employed
  • The Overlook Press
  • Oxford University Press
  • Headwater Literary Management

Lindsey 5 star rating

New York, United States

Experienced editor from a Big Five publisher specializing in mystery, suspense, and thrillers.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Action & Adventure, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Grand Central Publishing
  • Crooked Lane Books

Kathy 5 star rating

San Diego, United States

Freelance copyeditor and proofreader offering 25 years of experience in scientific and educational publishing

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Art, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Health & Wellbeing, Medicine, Nursing, & Dentistry, Math & Science, Nature, Action & Adventure, Classics, Women's Fiction, Mystery & Crime, Fantasy, Education & Reference, Science Fiction, and Thriller & Suspense.

Work experience:

  • Academic Press (Elsevier Science/Harcourt)
  • Academic Press
  • Brian F. Smith and Associates (Archaeologist)
  • Converse Consultants West
  • Cajon Valley, Mountain Empire, and Palm Middle Schools
  • Self-employed

Stephanie 5 star rating

Schwenksville, PA, United States

Editor, proofreader, reader. Wrangler of run-away trains of thought and foxhound puppies.

Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Education & Reference, and Parenting & Families.

Work experience:

  • Temple University Press
  • Penn State Press
  • ASTM International
  • Self-employed

Eva 5 star rating

San Marcos, United States

Twenty-five years of experience as a copy / line editor, primarily in science, for university, museum, and association presses.

Genres: History, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Nature, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, Life Sciences, Geography, Writing & Publishing, and Biographies & Memoirs.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed

Allison 5 star rating

Jersey City, NJ, United States

Jack-of-all-trades editor specializing in literary fiction and academic work (journal articles, book chapters, dissertations).

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Humanities & Social Sciences, Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Life Sciences, Math & Science, Writing & Publishing, Sports & Outdoors, and Self-Help & Self-Improvement.

Work experience:

  • Self-employed
  • Wiley

Adam 5 star rating

New York, NY, United States

I'm a New York City-based editor specializing in commercial nonfiction, and have worked on several NYT-bestselling titles.

Genres: Humor & Comedy, Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Political Science & Current Affairs, Humanities & Social Sciences, Travel, Entertainment, Earth, Space, & Environmental Sciences, Math & Science, and Technology.

Work experience:

  • Penguin Books
  • Abrams Books
  • Public Affairs Books
  • Perseus Books Group
  • The Overlook Press
  • Sterling Publishing
  • Apollo Publishers

Julie 5 star rating

New York, United States

Seasoned copyeditor and proofreader, supporting authors of high-quality fiction and nonfiction. (Helping authors look good since 1993).

Genres: Literary Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Biographies & Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Cooking, Food, Wine, & Spirits, History, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Historical Fiction.

Work experience:

  • Open Road Integrated Media
  • HarperCollins Publishers
  • Disney Publishing Worldwide
  • HarperCollins Children's Books
  • Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
  • HarperCollins Publishers, HarperPaperbacks and HarperPrism
  • Self-employed

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Hire the best copy editors in the United States

Even if you don’t think you need to hire a copy editor, you’d be surprised by how much difference this type of editing can make.

Copy editing isn’t the same as proofreading: it involves an editor examining your work and asking questions about the way you use language throughout the text. Does it flow well? Does your tone maintain consistency? Does your narrative voice change, and are you using specific words that don't align with it? They’ll also look at your writing on a sentence level, making suggestions on clarity and syntax, and correcting spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and awkward turns of phrase. Overall, a freelance copy editor will smooth out all details relating to style to bring your book, fiction or nonfiction, as close to perfect as possible.

For many writers, their copy editor is the most important collaborator they have in the pre-publication process. So why settle for anyone less than impeccable? Here on Reedsy, you’ll find the best copy editors for hire in the United States and around the world. Our copy editors for hire have worked with authors like Meg Wolitzer and Tana French, molding their novels into masterpieces — and they use their training and editing experience to do the same for you. Our editors have experience copy editing a large variety of genres, and have worked with some of the most prolific publishing companies.

Simply sign up and you can start browsing their profiles and reading reviews from clients who've used their copy editing services before. You can request quotes or ask for more information about their copy editing services today.

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